Local folk artist creates ‘country church’

Roy Davis of Gloucester must have been dreaming of a white Christmas when he created his newest piece of art. The “country church” Davis fashioned, complete with stained-glass windows and fallen snow, has generated praise for the hobbyist from members of his own church and community.

“I like crafting and I’m good with my hands,” he said of his talents. “I imagine a lot and said to myself, ‘I think I’m gonna make me a church.’”

A self-taught painter, woodworker, and model builder, Davis fabricated his latest work largely out of foam-core board, but you can hardly tell in the finished product.

Roy Davis’s model church, which was inspired by features of several local churches, took him about a month to complete. Individually cut shingles, interior lighting, and stained-glass windows are some of the details Davis included in his construction. Photo by Peter J. Teagle

Davis reports taking inspiration from area churches and combining the most picturesque aspects of several houses of worship into his new piece. Davis worked in 3-6 hour increments and took about month in total to complete the church.

Wreaths adorn double wooden doors, and a bell tower and steeple overlook snow-capped trees. Davis paid particular attention to small details, fitting the model church with interior lights, stained-glass windows, and even individually cut each shingle on the roof. When it came time to add the final seasonal detail, Davis dropped simulated snow lightly over the entire model so that the result would mimic freshly fallen flakes.

The model church had been on display at the Gospel Lighthouse Worship Center of Shacklefords, though Davis mentioned that it may appear at the Gloucester Public Library as the date gets nearer to Christmas.

“It’s a God-given thing,” he said of his inspiration. “I just made it to see if I could do it.”